Dragon Ball 10 Things About Ultra Instinct That Make No Sense

Ultra Instinct may look flashy, but beyond that does anything about the latest transformation even make sense?

The Ultra Instinct was definitely one of the coolest developments in Dragon Ball Z, but it also raised a lot of questions. Unlike Kaio-ken and the various variations of Super Saiyan, Ultra Instinct is in a class of its own for many reasons.

Many fans are divided about this new power, and there's a lot of debate about how exactly UI works. Ultra Instinct definitely has some awesome elements, and almost everything in the Dragon Ball Z universe is bound to spark some debate (especially with such a large fanbase). That being said, when it comes to Ultra Instinct, there are definitely some points that need to be addressed.

10 Ultra Instinct Seemed to Come Out of Nowhere

One of the most common complaints about Ultra Instinct is that it seemingly came out of nowhere. Unlike Kaio-ken and the first Super Saiyan transformation, there wasn't a whole lot of buildup. Just when Goku needs it most, he seems to pull Ultra Instinct out from behind him to save the day.

So was Ultra Instinct just a way for writers to dig themselves out of a dead end? After all, it seemed like nothing was even remotely capable of defeating Jiren... Until Ultra Instinct.

9 Why Does Ultra Instinct Provide Additional Power?

Just like any other transformation that Goku has gone through over the years, Ultra Instinct grants increased power. We're not even going to get into how this effects the official power level rankings, as by now they're completely irrelevant and confusing. What we're going to address is the seemingly illogical connection between Ultra Instinct and Goku's increased power.

If Ultra Instinct is simply "fighting without thinking," then where does the increase in power level come from? Shouldn't this transformation be solely rooted in increased speed and improved technique, rather than a boost in raw power? Wouldn't this make Ultra Instinct more interesting and unique than simply another increase in power?

8 Generally Speaking, Every Martial Artist Master Has Ultra Instinct

Let's dig a little deeper into what Ultra Instinct really is. At the end of the day, it's an approach to fighting where you're not consciously thinking about your actions. Hold on a second... Doesn't every "master" have some form of this? Trained martial artists in the real world have perfected their abilities to the point where they're not even thinking about what they're doing anymore. They simply "let go" and react instinctively.

When you consider the fictional universe of Dragon Ball Z where even the weakest fighters can move at speeds faster than the eye can follow, this becomes even more of an issue. The brain isn't even capable of processing information at that speed... So aren't the majority of Dragon Ball Z fighters already using some form of "Ultra Instinct?"

7 It Doesn't Fit With Goku's Personality

Putting physics and logic aside for just a second, there are elements of Ultra Instinct that don't make sense when you consider the established story of Dragon Ball Z - especially in regard to Goku's character. Ultra Instinct makes Goku calm, focused, and disciplined - essentially changing his entire character.

Granted, we've seen Goku get serious a few times before, but part of what makes him the Goku we all know is the fact that even when things get serious, he maintains his boyish, innocent nature. In short, Ultra Instinct doesn't really fit with Goku's character, and it almost would have made sense for another character who is naturally calmer to achieve this transformation first.

6 How Did The Spirit Bomb Trigger Goku's Ultra Instinct?

The first time we ever see Ultra Instinct, it's triggered by a massive spirit bomb that should have completely destroyed Goku. So why didn't this explosion spell the end for Kakarot? Well, many fans are asking the same question. The general consensus is that the spirit bomb triggered some form of "survival instinct" in Goku, allowing him to reach deep within his potential to unlock the Ultra Instinct form.

That sounds somewhat logical, but the exact details of how this process occurred have never been explored. It's even more confusing when you consider the fact that Goku seems to magically reappear after being consumed by the spirit bomb.

5 Shouldn't Guru's "Unlock Potential" Grant UI?

There are obviously quite a few potholes in Dragon Ball Z's story, but one event that is repeatedly brought up is Elder Guru's ability to unlock a fighter's potential. He performed this trick on Gohan and Krillin, raising their power levels significantly. Since then, people have asked why Guru wasn't able to unlock forms like Super Saiyan Blue in Gohan. The answer is that Gohan wasn't capable of that technique, and so he didn't have the "potential" to unlock it. Well, what about Ultra Instinct?

Because UI seems to operate outside of the traditional Super Saiyan forms, isn't the "potential" for this ability always present. After all, the only thing you need to unlock UI is to fight without thinking - and even the weakest fighters should theoretically have the potential to do that.

4 Triggering Ultra Instinct Requires The Absence of Thought

There's an interesting conundrum that surrounds the triggering of Ultra Instinct. As Goku himself has explained, one cannot trigger Ultra Instinct by consciously thinking about it. In other words, Goku cannot decide to trigger this form - it has to happen on an unconscious level. Some might even argue that it goes beyond the unconscious and that it requires zero thought to trigger.

That leaves us with somewhat of a catch 22. How can the Ultra Instinct form ever truly be triggered if zero thought is required to activate it? Wouldn't this mean that the form is pretty much impossible to transform into? How can it become a reliable fighting style if Goku isn't even sure when he can activate it during a battle?

3 Theoretically, We Should Almost Never See Ultra Instinct

That brings us to another point - Ultra Instinct should be much rarer than it actually is in the series. Because Ultra Instinct can only be triggered when Goku is up against some seriously life-threatening situations, we should only see it when Goku is fighting opponents that are much more powerful than him.

Since Goku is now among the strongest beings in the entire multiverse, we can safely say that Ultra Instinct should almost never appear. Of course, this won't be the case - since Ultra Instinct is basically the next Super Saiyan transformation that we'll be seeing a lot of.

2 Why Does It Turn Goku's Hair White?

A lot of people really like the Ultra Instinct transformation, as it changes Goku's appearance in a pretty unique way. Over the years, Goku has gone through all kinds of transformations, which have given him yellow, blue, and red hair. Ultra Instinct does something completely different, as it turns his hair white.

The transformation also turns his eyes white. Well, why does his hair turn white? Unlike the Super Saiyan transformations, the white color has nothing to do with the aura that surrounds Goku. Of course, the real reason why Goku's hair turns white is probably pretty simple: it looks cool.

1 If Ultra Instinct Requires Calmness, Then Why Is It So Draining?

Another reason why Ultra Instinct makes no sense is the fact that it's incredibly draining. This doesn't make sense because the transformation basically makes Goku a more efficient fighter. Sure, he's moving faster and he's more powerful - but an incredible amount of energy is used by the brain - especially when it comes to calculating strikes and knowing when to dodge at high speeds.

Since Ultra Instinct effectively eliminates all conscious thought from the equation and makes the fighter more calm and relaxed, shouldn't it be more draining?